It was a long and eventful 2024 for the royal family, with King Charles III and the Princess of Wales dealing with health difficulties. Now, Princess Catherine is ending the year more hopefully, marked by her gradual return to the public eye and official royal duties. Many were happy to see her continue her “Royal Carols: Together At Christmas” tradition for the fourth year. However, according to an insider, Catherine is still recovering from her cancer treatment and is not yet back to her old self.
In September 2024, Catherine, 42, shared the great news that after concluding her chemotherapy treatment, she was finally cancer-free. In addition, Queen Elizabeth II’s former press secretary, Ailsa Anderson, said Catherine’s health had improved and she was looking better with every passing day.
“Each time we see her, she’s looking better and better,” Anderson said.
However, a family friend also revealed that Catherine was “not back to normal” yet and not fully back in the public eye despite her return to public duties.
“She is focused on herself and her family right now, rightly.”
Another insider also said that Catherine’s battle with cancer had changed her and she was navigating this new change as she makes her full return to the public eye.
“You can’t go through something like that and come out the other side unchanged,” the source said, “She is a different person now.”
Princess Catherine (2023), (Bruce Adams-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Another source shared that the Princess of Wales has much to do to return to her old duties and ability. Even when she does, things will be different this time around.
“She has to get back on top of it. And she will if she is left alone to work it out for herself,” the source told an outlet. “She won’t be going back to work in the same way for a long time.”
After announcing her diagnosis in March 2024, Catherine spent most of the rest of the year away from the public eye, taking a break from royal duties and focusing on her chemotherapy and subsequent recovery. Now that she is coming back from a health crisis of that magnitude, the mom-of-three has shifted her perspective on life and work. According to royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith:
“She is very much in control of her return to public life. She is doing what works best for her.”
It is also believed that Catherine and her husband, Prince William, are taking this new lease on life to focus on their family and have “made it clear that family is the most important thing.” It’s a relief that the royals are ending the year with better news than they began it and that Princess Catherine is finally healing. She has also shared the complexity of the cancer journey and its healing process, saying:
“The cancer journey is complex, scary,” she shared, and added that her “path to healing and full recovery is long, and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”
Prince William, Princess Catherine (2023), (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
What are your thoughts on Princess Catherine and the challenging year she has had? Do you think she needs more time before returning to the public eye? Let us know, and pass this along to other royal family fans!